News

ICO to step in after schools use facial recognition to speed up lunch queue

The Information Commissioner’s Office is to intervene over concerns about the use of facial recognition technology on pupils queueing for lunch in school canteens in the UK.

Nine schools in North Ayrshire began taking payments for school lunches this week by scanning the faces of their pupils, according to a report in the Financial Times. More schools are expected to follow.

The ICO, an independent body set up to uphold information rights in the UK, said it would be contacting North Ayrshire council about the move and urged a “less intrusive” approach where possible.

An ICO spokesperson said organisations using facial recognition technology must comply with data protection law before, during and after its use, adding: “Data protection law provides additional protections for children, and organisations need to carefully consider the necessity and proportionality of collecting biometric data before they do so.

“Organisations should consider using a different approach if the same goal can be achieved in a less intrusive manner. We are aware of the introduction, and will be making inquiries with North Ayrshire council.”

The company supplying the technology claimed it was more Covid-secure than other systems, as it was cashless and contactless, and sped up the lunch queue, cutting the time spent on each transaction to five seconds.

Other types of biometric systems, principally fingerprint scanners, have been used in schools in the UK for years, but campaigners say the use of facial recognition technology is unnecessary.

Silkie Carlo, the director of Big Brother Watch, said the campaign group had written to schools using facial recognition systems, setting out their concerns and urging them to stop immediately.

“No child should have to go through border-style identity checks just to get a school meal,” she said. “We are supposed to live in a democracy, not a security state.

“This is highly sensitive, personal data that children should be taught to protect, not to give away on a whim. This biometrics company has refused to disclose who else children’s personal information could be shared with and there are some red flags here for us.”

The technology is being installed in schools in the UK by a company called CRB Cunninghams. David Swanston, its managing director, told the FT: “It’s the fastest way of recognising someone at the till. In a secondary school you have around about a 25-minute period to serve potentially 1,000 pupils. So we need fast throughput at the point of sale.”

Live facial recognition, technology that scans crowds to identify faces, has been challenged by civil rights campaigners because of concerns about consent. CRB Cunninghams said the system being installed in UK schools was different – parents had to give explicit consent and cameras check against encrypted faceprint templates stored on school servers.

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire council said its catering system contracts were coming to a natural end, allowing the introduction of new IT “which makes our service more efficient and enhances the pupil experience using innovative technology”.

They added: “Given the ongoing risks associated with Covid-19, the council is keen to have contactless identification as this provides a safer environment for both pupils and staff. Facial recognition has been assessed as the optimal solution that will meet all our requirements.”

The council said 97% of children or their parents had given consent for the new system.

A Scottish government spokesperson said that local authorities, as data controllers, had a duty to comply with general data protection regulations and that schools must by law adhere to strict guidelines on how they collect, store, record and share personal data.

Hayley Dunn, a business leadership specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “There would need to be strict privacy and data protection controls on any companies offering this technology.

“Leaders would also have legitimate concerns about the potential for cyber ransomware attacks and the importance of storing information securely, which they would need reassurances around before implementing any new technology.”

News

Youth in Agriculture: Oyebanji doles out N140million to young farmers

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has disbursed cheques worth N140million to youths engaged in commercial agriculture for the first batch of their harvest.

The young farmers were drawn from the six farm clusters in the state under the “Bring Back The Youth in Agriculture” programme of the state government in partnership with YSJ Farms Limited.

Presenting the cheques to the young farmers on Monday at Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado- Ekiti, Governor Oyebanji noted the widespread food shortage experienced across the country and globally this year, stressing that his government’s efforts in this direction would promote farming activities as well as spur the youths’ interests in commercial agriculture, with attendant financial and economic opportunities.

The Governor assured the youths that he was already liaising with investors who will provide tractors for hiring in order to effectively boost their production capacity, adding that the strategy of the state government is not to buy tractors, but to create an enabling environment for investors to bring tractors to the state to lease to farmers.

He cautioned some elements in the Ministry of Agriculture who constitute a cog in the wheel of progress in the sector to desist from their nefarious tendencies and support the zeal of government to reposition agriculture and improve on the food security agenda of government.

Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji told the excited youths that his government, had in the last 48 hours, injected N300million into the economy of the state, which he said was in line with the shared prosperity and wealth creation agenda.

While tasking the youths to make judicious use of the money, for effective implementation of the aims and objectives of the initiative by plowing back some of their proceeds into next year’s agriculture season with the hope of a favourable weather.

Governor Oyebanji who hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the financial support to the state, said with the support of the President, efforts are in top gear to build Renewed Hope Farm settlements in all the farm clusters in the state.

“If we are going to develop agriculture and create wealth, we have to be extremely deliberate about our procurement process. On Saturday, I was in Oke Ako, we distributed about N160million compensation to farmers whose lands were taken over six months ago and the crop planted then are already being harvested.

“I have listened to your challenges regarding accommodation, I promised you that we will provide that. The old Awolowo farm settlement is what we are renovating, but in our budget next year, we have plan to do at least six farm settlements. With that you can leave your home go to the farm, when you are tired, you have somewhere to rest.

“For those that are collecting money today, I say congratulations and I am happy because you have seen the challenges and you are here today to eat the fruits of your labour, I know that what we passed through this year is not what we will pass through next year. He said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluade thanked the Governor for his various efforts aimed at ensuring that Ekiti people are removed from the league of poverty-stricken states with the new initiative of Agri-preneur aimed at creating jobs in the sector for 10,000 youths and getting them out of poverty.

The Commissioner also revealed that at the Broiler farm, the state was at the verge of realizing N80 million within four cycles of breeding. He called on the youths to know that agriculture is a vocation that needs a lot of patience before the yields and the rewards start to materialize.

Some of the youths, Mr Johnson Owoeye from Gede; Adeyeye Micheal from Oke Ako; Michael Mayowa from Iyemero and Owolewa Samuel from Ekiti west shared their experiences, acknowledged and commended the governor for the initiative and for providing necessary impetus for them to thrive in the business saying they now have very bright future in the state.

Also, the Chief Executive of YSJ, Mrs Yemisi Joluwe commended Ekiti youths for their resilience, commitment and determination to succeed in the business saying that their efforts have shown that Ekiti youths are not lazy.

Also at the event were the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro, Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi, members of the state executive council, members of the State House of Assembly, Chairman, Council of Traditional rulers and Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Faboro among others.

News

Court denies Yayaha Bello bail

Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has dismissed the bail application filed by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is being tried for an alleged N110 billion fraud.

In her ruling, the judge held that Bello’s bail application was premature and incompetent as he filed it when he had not yet surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The however, admitted Bello’s alleged co-accomplice Umar Oricha, to bail in the sum of N300million with two sureties in the like sum.

In her ruling on Bello’s application, the judge said the former Kogi governor was only making an attempt to invoke the jurisdiction of the court too early.

She said, “Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused.”

The 16-count charge preferred against Bello has to do with conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

He is alleged have used state funds to illegally acquire properties, at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja , No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja, among many others.

News

Man arraigned for unlawful possession of human skull

A 52-year-old man, Akeem Rasheed, has appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, for alleged unlawful possession of a human skull.

The defendant who resides at Jegede area, Ibadan, was charged with two counts of improper interference with dead body and unlawful possession of human skull.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the police.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. David Adepoju, told the court that on Oct. 11, at 1.00 a.m., at Jegede Estate, Odeyale area, Ibadan, Rasheed improperly interfered with a dead human body.

He said that the defendant allegedly exhumed a corpse from its grave, removed the skull and burnt it.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendant burnt the human skull into ashes for spiritual purposes.

He said the offences contravened Section 242 (1) (b) and 352(A) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a blood relative of the defendant.

She , thereafter, adjourned the case until May 5, 2025 for hearing.

NAN